Ljungberg leaves Fire for Celtic
Freddie Ljungberg's time with the Fire is over.
The forward/midfielder, acquired via trade with the Seattle Sounders at the end of July, signed a contract with Scottish powerhouse Celtic on Thursday.
“While Freddie's time with the Fire was brief, he made an immediate impact on the team both on and off the field and we wish him the very best with Celtic FC,” Fire technical director Frank Klopas said. “He's a gifted player and natural leader who quickly gained the respect of his teammates, Fire staff and our fans.”
“I want to say that I had an amazing time in Chicago and I really mean that,” Ljungberg, 33, said in a statement the Fire released. “The city was great and so were the people of Chicago who I felt embraced me in a great way. I built a strong relationship with the fans and that was something that always meant a lot to me.”
Ljungberg scored 2 goals and added 7 assists in 15 appearances for the Fire. His contract as a designated player expired after the 2010 season.
The Fire will lose a draft pick, reportedly in the second round of next month's SuperDraft, as part of the trade that brought Ljungberg to Chicago.